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Dental hygienists are a vital part of a dental office, as they provide high quality patient care and proper dental treatments that allow the office to run smoothly and effectively. 

Being a dental hygienist has many advantages that make it an ideal position for a lot of people. Some of these advantages include working personally with patients to lead them to their dream smile, financial stability, and diversity of types of work within the workplace. 

All of these factors make the job of a dental hygienist extremely popular, which means that there is a lot of competition when it comes to getting hired for the position. This is why it is important to have a descriptive and effective resume, so that you stand out against the other candidates during the hiring process.

What Does a Dental Hygienist Do?

Before you apply for a dental hygienist position, it is crucial that you know what a dental hygienist does on the job on a day to day basis. 

Dental hygienists work under the supervision of a dentist to provide preventative oral care and dental treatments to patients. Some of the responsibilities that dental hygienists have while working directly with patients include: 

• Cleaning and flossing teeth 
• Removing plaque, stains, and tartar from teeth 
• Applying sealants and fluoride to teeth for protection
• Taking and developing x-rays
• Administering local anesthetics to patients during specific treatments

Dental hygienists also handle more administrative and discussion-based tasks with patients as well. Some of these responsibilities include:

• Communicating with patients to learn about their oral health and overall health for documentation purposes
• Examining the current oral health of each patient to communicate any updates to the dentist 
• Educating patients on good oral hygiene practices and how to properly brush and floss their teeth on their own

How to Prepare a Resume for a Dental Hygienist Position

There are a wide variety of things to include on a resume for a dental hygienist position, but some things will make you stand out more than others. Since dental hygienist positions are very popular and competitive, it is important to be memorable on your resume. Here are a few elements to include in your dental hygienist resume:

Certifications and Licensing

Since different states require different certification and licensing requirements for dental hygienists, it is crucial that you include this in your resume as a separate section. If you have completed any advanced training or specified programs, it is helpful to include them in this section too.

Hard and Soft Skills

Skills that you obtain are important to include on your resume for a dental hygienist position, and you should have both hard and soft skills on there. 

Hard skills are skills that you have learned through education and training. Some examples of hard skills to include on your dental hygienist resume are conducting oral hygiene procedures, taking and processing x-rays, and patient healthcare record management. 

Soft skills are skills that you have on a personal level that help you interact with others and make good decisions. Some examples of soft skills include communication, teamwork, and precision.

Professional Objective

Not everyone includes a professional objective on the top of their resume, but it is beneficial to have it. Professional objectives summarize all of your professional goals, skills, and accomplishments all in one area. 

Your professional objective should highlight your professional accomplishments and your most impressive skills. It should also be very brief at no more than four sentences, so that you can grab the attention of the hiring manager, and tell them everything they need to know quickly.

Relevant Experience

It is important to include any relevant jobs and experience related to becoming a dental hygienist in your resume. Make sure that you are as clear and direct as possible when listing your past positions, and your roles and responsibilities within each one. 

For each position listed, include around five bullet points that explain exactly what you did in that role. Include specific tools, instruments, and software you may have used during each position as well.

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